Carlos wouldn't let Debbie take his ring off. He grabbed her hands that tried to snatch the ring, and said, "Enough!"
"It will be enough when I say so! She has been making trouble for me from the very beginning. This ends today!" Debbie tried to free her hands from Carlos' grip, but failed. Furious, she bit into his hand.
It hurt, but Carlos didn't let go. He gritted his teeth to swallow the pain while she bit deeper.
But Debbie's heart softened. She let go. He was her husband after all. But her anger didn't settle. She was mad at herself for being such a sucker for Carlos.
She let out a sharp sigh and then turned to Megan. "You want me to apologize to you? Beg me. If you beg, I will not only apologize, but will also give you my husband— Ow!" Carlos' hand squeezed hers hard. It hurt so much that she grimaced and closed her eyes tightly.
But she didn't stop talking. "Megan Lan! If you don't apologize to me and admit that you have been defaming me, I will tear this ward down!"
Carlos squeezed her hand again and tried to persuade her. "Calm down."
"Calm down? My husband is protecting the other woman. Tell me, how am I supposed to calm down?" Her words "the other woman" stirred Wesley's and Damon's anger again.
Damon shoved his hands into his pockets and looked at Debbie with a devil-may-care attitude. "Debbie Nian, Megan met Carlos long before you did."
Debbie froze. A trace of despair flitted over her eyes. "What do you mean? Are you saying that I am the other woman?"
"Damon, shut up!" Carlos snapped. His eyes shot icy cold daggers at Damon.
Debbie felt her heart sink to a place that was as dark and cold as the bottom of a lake which had been frozen for a thousand years. She looked at Carlos and asked in a low voice, "Please, send me abroad now. Can you?" She couldn't afford to study and live abroad on her own, so she had no choice but to rely on Carlos for the moment.
"No," was all he said, his eyes cold as usual.
"No?! Fine! Then watch the show and do enjoy." Rage consumed her. She straightened up and walked towards Megan's bed. A weird smile hung over her face.
She reached out her hand and lifted Megan's chin. Wesley intended to intervene, but since Debbie was being calm, he stepped back.
"Megan, I have a suggestion. This drama is crazy. Let's make peace." Debbie's offer took the three men aback.
Megan acted happy to hear it. Instantly, her eyes reddened. She said excitedly in a trembling voice, "Oh, Aunt Debbie! Really?"
"Really? Of course… NOT! Today, I'll show you what happens if you mess with me!" Her smile disappeared. Her tone changed. Before anyone could realize it, she hauled Megan out of her bed.
"Aargh!" Unprepared, the girl slumped to the floor. The needle in her hand was plucked out forcefully during the fall.
It happened so fast that none of the men was quick enough to stop her.
Wesley and Damon ran towards Megan to help her to her feet. Debbie ignored them and demanded, "Megan Lan, apologize to me!"
It took Megan a long while to realize what had happened to her. Her leg was hurt. Immediately, Damon pressed the nurse-call button, and Wesley scooped her up and placed her back on the bed gently.
Feeling an oncoming headache, Carlos pinched the middle of his brows helplessly.
Disappointed at how things had turned out, Wesley shouted at Carlos, "If you can't stop your wife, allow me to do it for you. I can't stand by and watch her bully Megan!"
Carlos replied nonchalantly, "I warned you not to bring her to the hospital, didn't I? Now that things have gone out of control, you want to make it all her fault? If you touch her, you will only make the situation worse."
Wesley didn't understand. It was clear as day that Debbie attacked Megan. He wondered why Debbie and Carlos were acting as if justice was on their side.
The doctor came running with two nurses close behind him. He was surprised to see so many people inside the ward. "Mr. Huo, Colonel Li, Mr. Han," he greeted them.
Anger had been building up inside Damon's chest. The doctor served as a good outlet for his fury. As soon as he saw him, Damon roared, "What are you waiting for? Come in and examine her injury. Check her hand and leg."
The doctor and the nurses trotted over to the bed immediately. Their faces were pale from fear, but Debbie wasn't scared. She strode towards the bed and stood in front of it. "Don't even think about giving her a checkup until she apologizes to me," she said slowly and furiously.
Damon's eyes flamed with rage. He pointed at Debbie and cursed, "I've been putting up with you just because you're Carlos' wife. Don't push me!"
"Damon!" Carlos stopped him before his words got any harsher.
Unable to vent his anger, Damon walked back and forth restlessly with a twisted, irritated face. "Fine! You're the boss. You make the final call. I've had enough of this shit. I'm out of here! My wife is waiting for me at home. Wesley, you don't have a wife or girlfriend. You stay all you want. Carlos, you are so bossy around us. Why can't you handle your wife for once? Whatever, I'm off!" With that, he left.
Hands pressed again her hurting legs, Megan apologized in a feeble voice, "Please calm down, everybody. I apologize. I'm sorry, Aunt Debbie. I vilified you. Sorry."
Sincere or not, Megan's apology satisfied Debbie. When she walked by Wesley, Debbie said flatly, "Unattached Young Man, I've heard that your ex-girlfriend left you and married someone else because of Megan. As a serviceman with glorious achievements in war, how are you so easily deceived by a girl? Such a shame on your family which had generations of valaint servicemen."
Saying that, Debbie left the ward with panache, not giving the others so much as a second look.
Wesley stared at her straight back, deeply embarrassed.
'She called me Unattached Young Man.'
Everything in the ward went back to normal after Megan's apology. And Debbie had left contentedly.
Wesley had brought Debbie to the hospital to apologize to Megan. How ironically things had ended.
As the doctor started examining Megan, Carlos told her, "Recuperate well. Study hard after you leave the hospital. You will have to study abroad too after your graduation."
Megan wanted to give it another try to win over Carlos. "Uncle Carlos…" Sadly for her, Carlos walked out of the ward without hearing her out.
Wesley fell into a deep thought as he watched the doctor examine Megan.
The doctor concluded eventually that Megan was perfectly fine. Wesley made sure she didn't need else and said, "Get some rest, I'll drop by some other time." He strode out of the hospital.
Once she was alone, Megan removed her masks of emotions and stared at the ceiling.
'Debbie Nian is a handful, more than I thought.'
But only because Carlos loved her too much.'
